Otaru, Hokkaido
Encyclopedia
is a city
and port in Shiribeshi
, Hokkaido
, Japan
, northwest of Sapporo. The city faces the Ishikari Bay, and has long served as the main port of the bay. With its many historical buildings, Otaru is a popular tourist destination. Because it is a 25-minute drive from Sapporo, it has recently grown as a bedroom community.
As of July 31, 2011, the city has an estimated population
of 131,706 with 67,308 household
s and a population density
of 541.71 persons per km². The total area is 243.13 km². Although it is the largest city in Shiribeshi Subprefecture
, the subprefecture's capital is the more centrally-located Kutchan
).
in northern Shiribeshi Subprefecture
. The southern portion of the city is characterized by the steep slopes of various mountains, notably Tenguyama; and the altitude of the land sharply drops from the mountains to the sea. The land available between the coast and mountains has been almost completely developed, and the developed part of the city on the mountain slopes is called Saka-no-machi, or "Hill town", including hills named Funamizaka (Boat-view Hill) and Jigokuzaka (Hell Hill).
habitation, and the name "Otaru" is recognised as being of Ainu origin, possibly meaning "River running through the sandy beach". The very small remaining part of the Temiya Cave contains carvings from the Zoku-Jōmon period of Ainu history, around A.D. 400. Otaru was recognised as a village by the bakufu in 1865, and in 1880 the first railway line in Hokkaido was opened with daily service between Otaru and Sapporo.
The city flourished well as the financial and business center in Hokkaido as well as as the trade port with Japanese ruled southern Sakhalin
until 1920s. Otaru was redesignated as a city on August 1, 1922.
On December 26, 1924, a freight train loaded with 600 cases of dynamite exploded in Temiya Station, damaging the warehouse, the harbour facilities and the surrounding area. Local officials stated that at least 94 were killed and 200 injured in this disaster.
Since 1950s, as the coal industry around the city went into a decline, the status of economic hub shifted to Sapporo from Otaru.
A famous attraction on the west side of the city is Nishin Goten (herring mansion). This large wooden building, built in 1897, was once the house of Hunkumatsu Tanakaa, a magnate of the herring fishing industry. It was originally built in nearby Tomari village and moved from there in 1958. Visitors can clearly see the difference between the squalid conditions of the first floor sleeping quarters of 120 workers and the ground floor luxury of the magnate’s rooms.
Otaru is well known for its beer, and Otaru Beer, next to the canal, is a popular restaurant with a medieval theme. Otaru is also known for the freshness of its sushi
. The town also has substantial shopping arcades and bazaars, but fewer than nearby Sapporo.
Otaru's prominent industries are arts and crafts
, such as studio glass and musical box
es.
.
Cities of Japan
||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...
and port in Shiribeshi
Shiribeshi Subprefecture
is a subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan. The subprefecture's capital is Kutchan. As of July 31, 2004, the estimated population was 256,184 and the area was 4,305.65 km².- Towns and villages by district :* Abuta District** Kimobetsu...
, Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, northwest of Sapporo. The city faces the Ishikari Bay, and has long served as the main port of the bay. With its many historical buildings, Otaru is a popular tourist destination. Because it is a 25-minute drive from Sapporo, it has recently grown as a bedroom community.
As of July 31, 2011, the city has an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 131,706 with 67,308 household
Household
The household is "the basic residential unit in which economic production, consumption, inheritance, child rearing, and shelter are organized and carried out"; [the household] "may or may not be synonymous with family"....
s and a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 541.71 persons per km². The total area is 243.13 km². Although it is the largest city in Shiribeshi Subprefecture
Shiribeshi Subprefecture
is a subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan. The subprefecture's capital is Kutchan. As of July 31, 2004, the estimated population was 256,184 and the area was 4,305.65 km².- Towns and villages by district :* Abuta District** Kimobetsu...
, the subprefecture's capital is the more centrally-located Kutchan
Kutchan, Hokkaidō
-Neighboring municipalities:*Shiribeshi**Abuta District: Kyōgoku, Niseko**Isoya District: Rankoshi**Iwanai District: Kyōwa**Yoichi District: Niki, Akaigawa**Kimobetsu and Makkari of the Abuta District lie on the southern side of Mount Yōtei.-History:...
).
Geography
Otaru is a port town on the coast of the Sea of JapanSea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
in northern Shiribeshi Subprefecture
Shiribeshi Subprefecture
is a subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan. The subprefecture's capital is Kutchan. As of July 31, 2004, the estimated population was 256,184 and the area was 4,305.65 km².- Towns and villages by district :* Abuta District** Kimobetsu...
. The southern portion of the city is characterized by the steep slopes of various mountains, notably Tenguyama; and the altitude of the land sharply drops from the mountains to the sea. The land available between the coast and mountains has been almost completely developed, and the developed part of the city on the mountain slopes is called Saka-no-machi, or "Hill town", including hills named Funamizaka (Boat-view Hill) and Jigokuzaka (Hell Hill).
Neighboring cities and towns
- ShiribeshiShiribeshi Subprefectureis a subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan. The subprefecture's capital is Kutchan. As of July 31, 2004, the estimated population was 256,184 and the area was 4,305.65 km².- Towns and villages by district :* Abuta District** Kimobetsu...
- Yoichi DistrictYoichi District, Hokkaidois a district located in Shiribeshi Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2004, the district has an estimated population of 28,213 and a density of 47.93 persons per km². The total area is 588.64 km².-Towns and villages:*Akaigawa*Niki*Yoichi...
: YoichiYoichi, Hokkaidois a town located in the Yoichi District, Shiribeshi, Hokkaidō, Japan.-Demographics:As of 2008, the population of Yoichi is estimated to be 21,908 with a density of 162.21 persons per km². The total area of Yoichi is 140.60 km². The climate is mild , with temperatures ranging from -6°C to...
, AkaigawaAkaigawa, Hokkaidois a village located in Yoichi District, Shiribeshi, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2008, the village has an estimated population of 1,264. The total area is 280.11 km².-External links:*...
- Yoichi District
- IshikariIshikari Subprefectureis a subprefecture of Hokkaidō prefecture, Japan, located in the western part of the island. Its population in 2003 was 2,279,943.There are 6 cities, three towns, and one village under its jurisdiction. The subprefectural capital is Sapporo, also the capital of Hokkaidō prefecture...
- SapporoSapporo, Hokkaidois the fourth-largest city in Japan by population, and the largest city on the island of Hokkaido. It is the capital of Hokkaidō Prefecture, located in Ishikari Subprefecture, and an ordinance-designated city of Japan....
(Teine-kuTeine-ku, Sapporois one of the 10 wards in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. The ward is located in northwest of Sapporo, which is neighboured to three other wards in Sapporo and two cities...
, Minami-kuMinami-ku, Sapporois one of the 10 wards in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. Minami-ku is directly translated as "south ward". Having the area of 657.23 km² in total, Minami-ku occupies 60 percent of the area of Sapporo.- Overview :...
), IshikariIshikari, Hokkaidois a city located in Ishikari Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan.The city was born out of Ishikari Town on September 1, 1996.On October 1, 2005, the village of Atsuta, from Atsuta District, and the village of Hamamasu, from Hamamasu District, merged into Ishikari.As of March 1, 2008, the city has an...
- Sapporo
Climate
In the summer the weather can be hot and balmy, but it snows in winter from about November to March, and drifts of two to three metres are not uncommon.History
The city was an AinuAinu people
The , also called Aynu, Aino , and in historical texts Ezo , are indigenous people or groups in Japan and Russia. Historically they spoke the Ainu language and related varieties and lived in Hokkaidō, the Kuril Islands, and much of Sakhalin...
habitation, and the name "Otaru" is recognised as being of Ainu origin, possibly meaning "River running through the sandy beach". The very small remaining part of the Temiya Cave contains carvings from the Zoku-Jōmon period of Ainu history, around A.D. 400. Otaru was recognised as a village by the bakufu in 1865, and in 1880 the first railway line in Hokkaido was opened with daily service between Otaru and Sapporo.
The city flourished well as the financial and business center in Hokkaido as well as as the trade port with Japanese ruled southern Sakhalin
Sakhalin
Sakhalin or Saghalien, is a large island in the North Pacific, lying between 45°50' and 54°24' N.It is part of Russia, and is Russia's largest island, and is administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast...
until 1920s. Otaru was redesignated as a city on August 1, 1922.
On December 26, 1924, a freight train loaded with 600 cases of dynamite exploded in Temiya Station, damaging the warehouse, the harbour facilities and the surrounding area. Local officials stated that at least 94 were killed and 200 injured in this disaster.
Since 1950s, as the coal industry around the city went into a decline, the status of economic hub shifted to Sapporo from Otaru.
Notable attractions
A canal adorned with Victorian-style street lamps runs through Otaru. The city attracts a large number of Japanese tourists as well as Russian visitors.A famous attraction on the west side of the city is Nishin Goten (herring mansion). This large wooden building, built in 1897, was once the house of Hunkumatsu Tanakaa, a magnate of the herring fishing industry. It was originally built in nearby Tomari village and moved from there in 1958. Visitors can clearly see the difference between the squalid conditions of the first floor sleeping quarters of 120 workers and the ground floor luxury of the magnate’s rooms.
Otaru is well known for its beer, and Otaru Beer, next to the canal, is a popular restaurant with a medieval theme. Otaru is also known for the freshness of its sushi
Sushi
is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
. The town also has substantial shopping arcades and bazaars, but fewer than nearby Sapporo.
Otaru's prominent industries are arts and crafts
Arts and crafts
Arts and crafts comprise a whole host of activities and hobbies that are related to making things with one's hands and skill. These can be sub-divided into handicrafts or "traditional crafts" and "the rest"...
, such as studio glass and musical box
Musical box
A music box is a 19th century automatic musical instrument that produces sounds by the use of a set of pins placed on a revolving cylinder or disc so as to pluck the tuned teeth of a steel comb. They were developed from musical snuff boxes of the 18th century and called carillons à musique...
es.
Tenguyama
Otaru is an important port for Sapporo, and part of this hilly city is on the lower slopes of Tenguyama, a good place for skiing and other winter sports and one that is accessible via Otaru Tenguyama RopewayOtaru Tenguyama Ropeway
The is Japanese aerial lift line in Otaru, Hokkaidō, operated by . The company also operates bus terminals, Sapporo Municipal Subway kiosks, and ski resorts. Opened in 1979, the line climbs with the panoramic view of the city...
.